Majoer Prodi releases Samatenga, a song that tackles mental health issues among men and youths

MAJOER Prodi, a talented musician and dancer from Bulawayo, has released a new track that challenges the stereotypes that label men and youths as weak when it comes to mental health issues.

The song, titled Samatenga, which means “I am strong” in Shona, is a prayer and a cry for divine intervention for the men and youths who are facing social pressures and challenges in today’s society.

“The song Samatenga is a voice for the youth and men who have fallen victims to today’s social pressures. As the young and males in our time, we have fallen prey to these demands of how to be or who to be when the issue of mental health and substance abuse comes to play. We have more young people and men committing suicides and abusing drugs leading to death as they are victims of society expectations, financial instability, relationship goals, marginalisation, gender inclusion and social media influences,” said Majoer Prodi, whose real name is Pride Khangelani Mhlanga.

He said the song, which was produced by Sparks 45, is also a message of hope and positivity for the young people, as it wishes them good fortunes, peace, acceptance and fruitfulness in their lives.

“Samatenga is me saying ‘Our men have been painted weak and incapable’, thus we need them to provide and protect us. The youths are today and tomorrow’s leaders, thus we cannot keep on losing them because it is blurry and uncertain without our future,” he said.

Majoer Prodi, who was named one of the 100 influential young entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe in 2023, said he plans to continue his musical journey this year, as he works with some of the biggest names in the African production scene, such as Mr Brown and Mukoma Levels from chill-spot family, as well as some upcoming artistes from Bulawayo.

He said he has improved his writing and composing skills, and he will be releasing some bangers from great local production geniuses.

He also revealed that he will be collaborating with a Denmark-based artiste, Tariq, who will be visiting Zimbabwe in March, under the supervision of Yellow World, a Bulawayo-based organisation, House of Arts, a Harare-based organisation, and Dream-town.

“This collaboration seeks to promote awareness on mental health, especially to our marginalised communities (ilokitshi), and we hope it will have a great impact on the young generation, as the whole idea is to give the world an important story about the young child from the hood,” he said.

@mthabisi_mthire